Cultivator



4 Sheets'-Sheet 1-.

S. L. ALLEN.

OULTIVATOR.

(No Mod'l.)

Patented Apr. 8, 1890.

' INVEN T :1 R.

WITNESSES- 4 Sheets-Sheet 4. S. L. ALLEN.

(No Model.)

CULTIY ATOR.

Patented Apr. 8, 1890 IIN I HM) (WWW WITNEEEEEI INVENTDR- s a--\%- N, PETER$ Phnm-Limagnph r UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL L. ALLEN, OF OINNAMINSON, NEV JERSEY.

CU LTIVATO R.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 424,946, dated April 8, 1890.

Application filed November '7, 1889. Serial No. 329,528. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, SAMUEL L. ALLEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oinnaminson, in the county of Burlington and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cultivators, of which the following is a full specification.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved cultivator. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a section on a; (B, Fig. 2. Fig. 4c is a perspective enlarged view of the mechanism for adjusting the side bars. Fig. 5 shows in perspective the construction of the joint at the front of the handle-bars. Fig. 6 is a section through the central bar, handle-bars, and joint. Fig. 7 is a plan View of the cultivator as arranged for the banking of celery. Fig. 8 is a sectionin the plane .2 .2, Fig. 7, showing the hinged connection of the forward end of the billing-blades; and Fig. 9 is a section on y 1 Fig. 7

My invention consists of an improved cultivat-or having laterally and perpendicularly adjustable handle-bars and side bars adjustable laterally. It is, moreover, provided with hilling-blades interchangeable with said side bars, the parts being arranged in such a manner as to make the implement readily adaptable either for an ordinary tooth cultivator for growing crops of various kinds, or, when desired, for a celery or potato cultivatolyto be used in banking or billing them. I

A is the central bar or beam, at the rear of which is bolted the tooth standard K, bearing the tooth K.

B B are two detachable adjustable side bars, one on each side of thecentral bar, pivoted in front to the hinged plates F F. which are bolted to the bar A, one above and one below the bar, as shown in Fig. 1. These side bars B are provided with the ordinary cultivatortooth standards bolted thereto and bearing the teeth B B The handle-frame, composed of the handlebars O C and the cross-pieces C, joining the same together, is laterally and perpendicularly, movable about a joint at the forward end of the said handle-bars. To this end the central bar A is provided, preferably, with two substantially semi-cylindrical blocks P P- -one on each side thereof having the tapered holes 1). (See Figs. 5 and 6.) The forward ends of the handle-bars O are provided with plates P, rounded out to fit against the outer faces of the said blocks P, 1) being the fastening-bolt passing through the parts in the manner illustrated in Fig. 6, the arrangement being such that the handle-frame may be moved laterally about the central bar for some distance on either side, while it is held quite stiff from torsional strain. The handleframe is furthermore supported by the brace D, pivotally bolted at c to the sides of the handle-bars O, and the bottom of which rests upon the T-shaped bracket D, bolted either to the rear tooth-standard K, as shown, or, if desired, directly to the central beam A. The front edge of the T-piece D is provided with a series of notches d, and the horizontal portion of the brace D has a number of holes d, (see Fig. 3,) so that the pieces D and D may be bolted together with the fasteningbolt (1 through either of the holes d or notches d, according to the position of the handleframe. It is then secured against horizontal, perpendicular, or torsional change of position. WVhen the handle-frame is centrally adjusted with reference to the cultivator-frame, as shown in the drawings, the said fasteningbolt d passes through the central hole d and central notch d. When it is desired to adjust the handle in a different position to one side or the other of the center, the thumbscrew (Z is loosened, and the brace D swung forward on the bolts 0 as pivots to disengage the bolt (Z from the notch d. The handle-frame is then moved as far as desired around the joint P and the pieces D and D again bolted together with the fastening-bolt in a different notch or hole without removing the bolt from the hole (1, but by simply loosening the thumbscrew (1 This adjustment is very useful in vineyard and corn cultivation. The handles can be easily moved to avoid injuring the plants. In corn-covering, also, one need not walk on the finished work. The handle-frame is, moreover, perpendicularly adjustable by reason of the series of holes 0' in the top of the piece D, through either one of which the bolt 0 may pass.

Instead of the cylindrical joint shown at P, I may, if desired, employ a ball-and-sockot joint or a universal joint of any approved construction. I prefer, however, the arrangement here shown, in that with the cylindrical joint the connection is very firm against torsion, while the motion laterally is perfectly free.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 9, the implement is fitted with side bars l having, as above described, ordinary cultivator-teeth. These side bars, however, may be detached, and in their place hilling-blades B or other attachments may be substituted, as hereinafter described, both the side bars 1- and the hilling-blades B being adjustable in the same manner.

The adjusting devices consist of a guide L, adapted to slide back and forth over the central bar A, the said guide having connected therewith the piece L, notched with teeth in the convex are of a circle, as shown.

E is an open handle-lever fulcrumed at its lower end at c to each side of the sliding guide L.

O O are two links-one on each sidepivoted at o to the central bar A and at 0 to the lever E.

G G are arms jointed together to form an elbow at (1, and pivotally secured at g to a rigid connection of the central bar A. The outer ends of the arms G'are pivoted at g to the rear of the side bars 15.

II. II are two side arms, pivoted at h to the sliding guide L, and havin near the outer end of each one or more holes 7L2, through either of which may be passed the hinge-bolt 7b, which pivotally connects the said arm II to the arm G on each side of the implement, in a manner fully illustrated in Fig. l.

The various arms and levers forming the link-motion for operating the side bars are so proportioned and arranged that when the handle-lever E is moved back and forth the side bars 13 are moved in and out laterally in a manner easily understood by reference to Figs. 1 and 4, it being remembered that the pivotal points g and o are stationary, while the other pivotal points that enter into the combination-viz., c, g g, h h, and {f -3P6 movable. This construction has been found to accomplish the lateral adjustability of the side bars in the field in a very quick and easy manner.

Within the open handle-lever E is pivoted at e the secondary handle E, which operates, through the parts E E and the spring EIthe pawl E, which engages with the teeth or notches on the curved piece L, so that the side bars B, when adjusted in the manner described, can be held in any desired position. As herein shown, the arms II have each two holes 7L2 for the reception of the pivotal bolt 71., so that there are two ranges of adjustability of the side bars for a given range of movement of the handle-lever E, depending upon which of the two holes It contains the said bolt. l urthermore, by having one or more holes h on each arm II, I am enabled to set one of the side bars nearer to the central bar than the other, or, in other words, adjust the side bars unsymmetrieally with reference to the central bar, when, as is often the case, it is desirable to throw more earth to one side than the other.

\Vhen it is desired to use the implement for the cultivation or banking of celery, potatoes, &c., it is simply necessary to substitute for the side bars B the billing-blades B, which are interchangeable therewith. The side bars are removed by disconnecting the arms G lrom the rear thereof and detaching and removingthe hinge-plates F F, which are held by the boltsf'f.

The hilling-blades are preferably constructed as shown in Figs. 7, 8, and 9. B" is a cultivator hoe -tooth of suitable shape, whose standard I3 is secured by the fastening-plate l) or otherwise to the central bar A of the cultivator-frame. The tooth-standard 13 is provided with the piece 13, having two wings, to which are pivoted by the bolts 1) the blades B, near the forward ends thereof. Near the rear of each blade B is secured thereto, by means of the bolt 0 the piece G having the slot y for the fastening-bolt l1, whereby the slotted piece G may be varied in height. Like the side bars 13, the celery-blades B" are pivoted at g to the arms G, the pivotal bolt passing through the slotted piece G as shown in Fig. 0, and the blades are adjustable laterally to varying widths of rows in precisely the same way as the side bars. In fact, these celery-blades are in reality side bars and blades integral in one piece, the blades being made of such a shape thatin connection with the front teeth or blade B the earth is banked up in sufficient quantity on the celery-rows on either side as the cultivator moves along.

I claim- 1.. In a cultivator, the combination, with the central bar provided with a T-shaped seat I), having notches d, of a pair of handle-bars jointed to said central bar, whereby they are laterally movable, and a standard I), pivotally secured to said handle-bars, and having a fastening screw and bolt engaging with said notches, whereby the said handlebars may be adjusted to various positionslaterally without removing the said fastening screw and bolt, substantially as described.

2. In a cultivator, a central bar provided with a notched bracket D, in combination with a laterally-movable handle-frame jointed to said central bar, and a brace D, pivoted to the handle-frame and provided with one or more boltholes, substantially as and for the purposes described.

In a cultivator, the combination, with the central bar A, of a sliding guide L, a handle-lever E, fulcrum ed in said guide, links 0 O, pivoted to the central bar and lever, hinged side bars 1?, arms G G, pivotally connecting the side bars and central bar and having the elbow-joint g, and side arms II, pivoted to the said guide and to the arms G, all constructed,

arranged, and operating substantially as and for the purposes described.

4. In a cultivator, the combination, with the central bar and hinged laterally-adjust- .able side bars, of a link-motion, substantially said handle, substantially as and for the purposes described.

6. A cultivator-frame having a central bar provided at its front end with detachable hinge-plates and a seat for a standard-fastening plate and having a sliding block or guide L L, a lever E, With spring-pawl E and expanding arms G G, operated by said lever, whereby provision is made for attaching side bars carrying shovels or teeth or for attaching a central tooth and billing-blades, substantially as shown and described.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

SAML. L. ALLEN.

\Vitnesses:

JOHN C. ALLEN, J 1:, OSWALD SMITH. 

